My mind, and Spirit, I guess, are very creative. They really enjoy thinking and envisioning the possibilities. Yesterday, I started feeling comfortable with the carving process, giving me some breathing room, and my creative side kicked into gear. I am now seeing lots of new projects ready to unfold.

This blossoming of creativity, however, gives me another challenge because the shoe carving is about technique, about seeing, and about the details. In one of my first blogs about this experience I talked about the challenge of perfectionism and whether I was a perfectionist avoiding failure. Today, I don’t think that is it at all. Today, looking at the process and the fire inside raring to go, I see the details as roadblocks to my creativity. Having to deal with the details is like stuffing my into a small little box and closing the lid. It feels stifling.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the details are a very important part of the creative process. We can or I should say “I can”, create something for the sake of creating and the end result will be a success for me, but if I want to create art, to create something meaningful, there are rules that have to be followed, which means paying attention to the details.

Relating this to photography, which I know a little bit more about than carving, there are snapshots, there are good photos, and then there is “photo art”. Photo art uses the rules of art and of photography to create something great. It transforms a photo into something bigger than the picture itself. It moves you, it speaks to you, and it challenges you to think and to feel. To create this powerful image, you have to know the rules. The rules are the elements within which you create something great and, also, knowing how to play with the rules and break the rules in an artistic way takes the art to a whole other level.

Dunes ~canoes at a park ~Debbie Pribele, 1999

With carving, before I can create art I have to know the rules, the “how to’s”, including how to see and carve the details. Once I know how to do this and can do this then I am ready to create wood art, “Debbie style”.

And so I use my will power to stay focused on the details, to stick to the process of one step at a time, and to create a copy of my shoe rather than just carving out “a” shoe. Today I am learning the rules and the art of wood carving.

18 comments so far

this is what i enjoy about this ,,,its brought out your creative side…your wanting to carve and have designs rolling around and wanting to develop…but at this time your using your willpower and are following the teachers instruction…but i cant wait to see what you end up starting to carve after the shoe part is done…i had to bow out from the shoe project for now…the timing wasn’t right for me and with my back problems , im limited as to how much wood work i can do…and right now i have to focus on other projects..i really wanted to do it…but now is not right…but im enjoying so much watching you go through this…and i cant wait to see where it leads you…this is just great…grizz

I feel like I’m a few steps ahead of you in discovering the possibilities of shaping wood. Watching and learning from others the versatility of wood and how it’s only limited by our imaginations. I’m doing things I never dreamed of, new horizons are all of a sudden opened for my imagination.

So cool to see you going through the same feelings I had. Have fun. Also looking forward to your new projects….......

I agree. I think a large part of our success will be due to the encouragement and inspiration we receive from each other. Many of us would have never attempted to tackle this project without encouragement from the others here. Once we made our commitment, we feel the support of our fellow LJ’s both who are participating, and also those who are just observing and cheering us on and also helping us out with their knowledge and expertise.

For myself, the socialization and comradeship that is here is an integral part of my own success. No matter what my shoe looks like in the end, I will not only have learned much about carving from a very talented and patient teacher, but also I will have enriched my life by getting to know my friends here a bit better.

I’m impressed with the dunes because I never read the Canoes part until I had already cemented in my mind that they were really dunes – once your brain decides something, it’s hard to change it’s vision! I never would have saw that vision to take the photograph period!

Jordan,Nov 17 is the best date of my life for unveiling… its my birthday… Just a thought.

Whatever you produce in this shoemaking, the maker elevates self-discipline, self-esteem, determination, creativity, and many other values that no one can help but only himself(herself) though we at the back are the cheers that inspire, let laugh, and the boosters. I am very eager to see now what you have created.